The Name Of The Game
by WinterVines
Summary: -It never starts out that way, but in the end you tell yourself that in a last attempt to keep yourself sane.- His reply made her silent for a moment. This reasoning, she realized, came from someone who knew true heartbreak. Shunsui x Nanao. An AU fic.
1. The Thirteenth Step

A/N: I know it seems like I dropped off the face of the earth, but as you can see, I haven't quite yet. I wanted this to be all one part, but I realized that it was going to be way too long for me to do it in the time frame I wanted. The next part _has_ to be out by tomorrow, but I don't know if I can get it all done by then. Now maybe I'll update faster because I won't leave a fic unfinished. Good, not good? Let me know. -KG

Oh by the way, this is AU.

Disclaimer: As usual, I still got nothing to anything I used except for my original places and ideas and such.

* * *

**The Name Of The Game  
**Part One: The Thirteenth Step

Six o'clock: The start of the evening shift at The Thirteenth Step.

Nanao Ise had been here since five, knowing that tonight would probably be a busy night. It was only Thursday, but this place had some of the best entertainment around. It didn't seem to matter what night it was. The competition never stood a chance, she realized, after finding out who she was working with. The thought made her smirk inwardly. It served them right.

There weren't many here now, but she knew that people would start filling in very soon. It didn't get very busy during the day, so she rarely worked the afternoon shift. The tips were so much better at night.

The side door was partially ajar, letting some of the last threads of light into the large room. It set the scene like a haze, seeming like a blanket of smoke. There wasn't any smoking here though. The owner had once said that there was enough of it everywhere else, and that it bothered his lungs. He had slightly shaky health sometimes.

The misty air threaded itself through tables and chairs, wrapping around anything it could. It floated over to the dance floor, and it even drifted up on stage, where one of her best friends would be performing in an hour or two. Even though it seemed like any other night, Nanao thought that something felt different about today. Maybe something interesting would happen tonight after all. She chuckled to herself on this thought. It was amazing what you came up with behind the bar.

That's what she did here: she ran the bar. Sure, she'd only been here a little over a month, but she had become used to it. Even when new, she found others looked up to her leadership already. That was completely fine with her. She had a neat, organized way of doing things, and she was glad to know that others also believed that things went smoother when done in that way.

She was currently drying out a glass she had just washed, setting it upside down on a towel next to the others in a neat line. She automatically reached for the next one, repeating the process. At times, she had to remind herself that this was not just a bar. Then again, it's not like she was actively involved in the other aspects of this club.

That's what it was, a club. At least that's what it was at night.

Sure, a lot of people came here to drink, but what kind of club wouldn't have refreshments? During the day it was just a normal bar, but in the evening, it livened up quite noticeably. Here in Karakura, the nightlife was very active. This was one of the newer hotspots on the block, drawing in large crowds even on the weeknights. There was dancing every night, but even if that wasn't your thing, it was still a nice place to just sit and relax. Three or four times a week they had professionals put on a show.

No, these dancers were not strippers, pole dancers, or anything along the lines. Nanao had to sometimes enforce this strongly to people, advising makers of snide comments to rephrase their words. Usually she was agitated enough to take off her glasses to explain this to them. By the looks of surprise and terror on their faces, she thought she did a pretty good job at it.

The thought of being too harsh to a customer came to mind, but she didn't worry too much about it when her friends' reputations were on the line. Her superior had made it quite clear that his beliefs were that the employee's well-being came first. Even if somebody did complain about her, she doubted that he would do anything anyway. Her best friend happened to be one of those dancers, by the name of Rangiku Matsumoto.

And speaking of Rangiku, here she was.

She slid into a chair across from where Nanao was rearranging the glasses. When she looked up, she smiled at her. Her strawberry hair contrasted with the garb of her practice clothes, also making her pink scarf stand out. Nanao couldn't think of a time when she hadn't seen her wearing this particular object. She asked about it once, but Rangiku only said it was her good luck charm.

"Hey, Ran."

"Hey, Nanao." Without even asking, Nanao set a drink in front of her. She knew that was what she was going to ask for anyway. It was always the same: Sake.

"How's the show coming along?"

The dancer laughed. "Well, Toshiro's been hard on all of us, but that's nothing new. Sometimes I think he's overstressed, you know?"

Nanao nodded her head in agreement, trying not to have that blank look on her face.

Toshiro Hitsugaya was in charge of The Thirteenth Step's entertainment. It was his job to recruit available performers and make sure that they were all doing their jobs. Nanao had heard once that he studied dance and theater at a university, and progressed from there to here. She could understand why he would be so aggravated all the time though. It wasn't easy keeping track of that many people, especially when one of them was Rangiku. Sure, she was good at what she did, but Nanao knew her to be slightly lax on the working side of things when they told her to.

"So, with all your hard work, the show tonight is bound to be a success, right?"

The performer smiled. "Absolutely. I mean, he may work us all really hard, but he certainly knows what he's doing." She had a distant, glazed look in her eyes, looking over towards the stage. That deep look of admiration could not be mistaken.

That could be bad.

You see, in a bar sense, Rangiku could be the one considered 'Trouble'. Trouble was the kind of person that gets carded because they looked way younger than twenty one, only to find out when they show their ID, that they're actually closer to fifty. She wasn't that old though.

Trouble usually went home with different people all the time, although Rangiku wasn't like this at all. She just happened to have a horrible taste in men, which all seemed to be deeply attracted to her all the time. Gin Ichimaru was a good example of this. Nanao remembered that one clearly. It wasn't that Toshiro was a bad guy, she just didn't want to see her best friend go through heartbreak again, should it come to that. They both had their careers ahead of them after all.

Nanao followed her hazy gaze. That's what she thought.

Nanao spotted the slightly shorter, white haired man from across the room. He had a scowl on his face, like usual, although it seemed that he was in an upsetting mood more often than not these days. He turned to look at Rangiku, waving his arm in an agitated way. Rangiku groaned.

"Uhh, there he goes again. Well, I'll see you later. I'm assuming he wants us to practice." She sighed. "But the show's not for another couple of hours!" She had a slight wine. "Oh well."

With that, she downed the rest of her drink at an alarming rate and bounded off. Nanao smirked when she saw Rangiku give Toshiro one of her famous 'death squeezes', increasing the frown and crease on his face and forehead. Okay, so he was just a tad bit shorter than she was, but she didn't have to rub it in so much by glomping him all the time.

She laughed quietly to herself as she heard a 'You're so cute when you're annoyed' followed by a 'That better not be alcohol on your breath. Go get to work.' It was widely known that he didn't particularly like the substance that much, claiming that it made the performers sloppy and unfocused. Nanao agreed with him mostly, except when it came to Rangiku. She could probably drink half the night away and still perform flawlessly. She was either that good, or else she had a liver made of steel. Nanao didn't really know which, for either was possible.

Although sometimes a hassle, it was small moments like this that made the nights worth while.

Even though, she sometimes found herself wondering what she was doing here, working in a club, when she could be doing bigger, better things. She had gone to school in Karakura for Finance, finding that she had quite a knack for calculating and completing large amounts of work quickly. This should have been ideal for potential employers, but she found that her applications had gotten her nowhere.

Instead, she had found herself out of school, in a non-familiar place, with no job and rent to pay.

There was still a little bit of schooling left for her to do, but she fell into the trap that so many others seem to. Work became more important than school, so instead, she found a job at a different club so she could survive. School was put on hold, and she had yet to go back and finish it. The other club she worked in brought up particular memories that she'd rather not think about. Needless to say, she was now here. Granted she _should_ have a decent job based on the schooling she completed, but if she could have that, she doubted that she would be here right now.

Sighing, she shifted out of her memories and into her working mode as she heard the small buzz of the place starting to liven up. A few people sat down on the far end of her side of the bar and smiling, she went over to greet them.

-End of Part One

* * *

A/N: Seriously though, I did meet Trouble. I was collecting money for a benefit and I had to card her because she looked 19. She was really 52...

I don't own "Tokyo Drift".


	2. Onto The Scene

A/N: Yeah, this one is a lot longer than the last one. I made an error, it seems. The part I wanted out today was actually the next part, but I'll have to deal with it. At least something is out today for Nanao-chan's birthday! The song that appears in this fic enhances the scene when listened to while reading, but is not necessary. I don't claim any ownership over it. Good, not good? Let me know. -KG

Oh, and there's a poll in my profile. Much thanks if you check it out!

* * *

Part Two: Onto The Scene

As Nanao had originally thought, the turnout tonight was pretty big. She supposed that some of the extra people were the consequence of tonight's show, which was due to come on in ten minutes. There was some scrambling going on over at the door by last minute people trying to make it in time. Most of the action from people at the bar ceased, as well as those dancing out on the floor. All eyes were glued to the thin curtain that had been shut across the stage. It had been drawn shut about five minutes ago, prompting people to get antsy. Shows didn't really last any longer than ten minutes, but they caused everything else to stop while it happened.

The lights went dimmer, and people quieted down. A hazy purple light appeared behind and in front of the curtain, preventing shadows to be seen. White fog started to roll out from underneath the covering, absorbing the light and casting it further. Some people made noises of awe already. She smiled a little. Toshiro always liked his dramatic entrances.

The music started to play, and Nanao recognized "Tokyo Drift" from the sound system. That happened to be ran by Renji Abarai. He did a pretty good job most of the time. Usually, he could be found making new mixes for the girls to try out. He made music on the side also, rumoring to have studied under the well-known Byakuya Kuchiki, a master composer of his own.

A white light started up suddenly with the addition of a chord to the music, casting shadows of the four dancers to the curtains. They were moving suavely as the curtains opened slowly, then started in with their routine. Four different colored lights followed them, adding to the theme of the scene. Shuuhei Hisagi was the one in charge of the light show. He had come here about a month before her, when he had a tussle with his former employer. Nanao knew about that all too well. Anyway, he was good at what he did, if one could judge anything from the crowd's faces.

Rangiku twirled to the front of the stage, and Nanao caught a glimpse of the color of the fabric that hosted the many shining beads on it.

The aquamarine garments they wore matched the scene quite well. When Rangiku told her earlier that she loved this costume more than all the others, Nanao just rolled her eyes. Okay, so she would admit that they were flashy and nice to look at, but Nanao would swear that Rangiku liked them so much just because they matched the color of Toshiro's eyes.

The music continued to play, and the other dancers became more visible from her spot.

Orihime Inoue had moved next to Rangiku, her almost matching hair making them seem like twins as they moved. Their faces were painted in a charming mode to fit the part, but Nanao knew that Orihime would be smiling brilliantly at the cheers they received from the crowd if she could.

The two familiar faces dropped down into a low position, and the two remaining performers took the opportunity to fly over them, earning another cheer. Two sisters, Isane and Kiyone Kotetsu, moved to lead position. Nanao had heard that the two of them had danced together since they were little. Their hard work certainly did show.

Eyes slipping to the crowd in front of the stage, she spotted Toshiro again. He liked to be out front so he could actually watch them in a good view. He liked to know what visual people were seeing, changing it accordingly to what people liked. The normal frown on his face was gone, at least for the moment. He truly did like seeing them perform the things he created. Nanao knew that he held a great respect for all the dancers.

Glancing again at the stage, she finally noticed what was missing. She didn't know why it didn't cross her mind before, but there was usually five performers out on stage at a time. One Momo Hinamori was missing in action. There had been rumors going around lately that she was thinking of leaving them for another club, one that Nanao didn't particularly like. Everyone had tried changing her mind about it, but there didn't seem to be much hope. Maybe that's why Toshiro was in such bad moods lately.

If anything else, everyone looked like they were enjoying themselves. Nanao watched them with a bit of a longing look. Unbeknownst to many, the fact of the matter was that she could do that too. It started one day when Rangiku had asked her to help her practice. Wanting to be a good friend, she joined her. She found that she was very flexible indeed and caught on very quickly. This was good for Rangiku because she could at least go through most of a routine.

This had been about six months ago. She had been friends with Rangiku for a while before working at the club. Once she had deemed herself acceptable (along with a bit of urging from Rangiku), she had tried out for being a dancer at the last club she worked at. The pay for entertainers was much better than that of a bartender. Unfortunately for her, the owners of the last club didn't think she was very good for the position. Then, to make matters worse, they decided they didn't need her to tend the bar either.

Once again she found herself with no job and rent to pay.

Troubled with no solution, being in a slump was an understatement for Nanao. Rangiku knew this, and so she talked to the owner here (who she happened to be close to) and offered Nanao a new job. It was pretty much the same as her old one, and she was very relieved that she caught on quickly. That was another reason Nanao defended her so much. Right now, she owed her everything. That was also why she deeply disliked the other club. She was glad that The Thirteenth Step drew in more attention than them. Firing someone on the basis of being 'not exciting enough' was a crime in her book. That was a bit illegal too, so they had attached on some other petty reason to go along with it.

For now she gave up this other talent of hers and settled for what she could get. It wasn't like she wanted to turn pro or anything, she just wanted to do something she enjoyed. People in this world didn't seem to do that enough. Thinking, she knew that she didn't totally give it up because she still practiced with Rangiku whenever she asked her to. She knew that she wouldn't try out for the club entertainment again anytime soon though.

The song started fading out, and all four of the graceful dancers drifted backwards away from the crowd. The curtain drew closed with the last chord, and everything was silent for a moment before everyone burst out in applause. Toshiro even donned a smile on his face. Nanao too clapped, and was brought out of her daze by someone speaking to her.

"Now, may I inquire why a beautiful young woman like yourself is not up on stage with them?"

Nanao turned around to address the commenter, but when she saw him she abruptly stopped…and blinked. Then, she blinked again. The man seated in front of her had a smile on his face, his brownish eyes burning into hers. That's not what made her stop though. The reason for her pause was his manner of dress.

On his head sat a straw hat, covering his darker hair that was pulled back. Not many people wore these kinds of hats these days, but that didn't come close to comparing to his other garb. Over his normal clothes rested an authentic pink haori. He didn't seem that strange, but one saw all kinds of characters at the bar. Well, if nothing else she thought, he certainly wasn't self-conscious.

With her thought process delayed for a moment, it took her a minute to realize that he had asked her a question. Her brow furrowed a bit, and she responded.

"It's simple really. I just work the bar. Now, can I get you something, or are you just going to sit there and try to flirt with me?"

Honestly, the nerve of some people drove her insane, and this person seemed to fit the bill quite nicely. She saw that her reply just made him smile more.

"I'll consider that, if you happen to grace me with your delightful name."

She didn't like his look for some reason. In all honesty, she felt like the prey of some large and dangerous animal. It was different from other looks she received, ones that make her feel like a piece of meat from those lechers, but it was slightly uncomfortable. He didn't seem like the kind of person with a malicious intent, but she couldn't be too careful in this town.

"What one were you considering?" She had a layer of ice on her, knowing that it wasn't very smart to get too comfortable with bar tenants.

"Why, both of course."

The smile never left his face, and his eyes crinkled in response. His attitude was annoying, but it wasn't exactly terrible. She didn't like it, no not really at all, but it was better than some. She replied with an uncertain 'Nanao', and even as it happened, she wondered why she did it.

"Why, Nanao-chan, that is indeed a beautiful name for a beautiful lady."

"Just Nanao." She added something as an afterthought. "And I would appreciate it if you kept your personal comments to yourself."

"But that certainly doesn't do any justice at all! A woman with your loveliness should be complimented as often as possible."

She was become exasperated now. It seemed that this man was determined to get on her nerves. It wasn't his words that were bothering her. Instead, it was his earnest look that led her to believe that he believed in what he said. Her hand clenched slightly, and she looked away for a minute to try and dispel her negative feelings. That certainly couldn't be good for waiting on customers.

"Nanao, is someone bothering you?"

She turned her whole body around to glance at the source of the new voice, identifying him immediately. Long white hair, tall, and with a pleasant look on his face. This was the owner of the club, someone who everyone seemed to take a liking to quickly: Jushiro Ukitake.

"If you need me to talk to them-oh. It's just you." He looked behind her to see the haori-wearing man, trying to hold back a smirk that wouldn't leave his face.

"Well that's not a very nice way to greet your best friend, Juu." He was smirking too, sharing a silent joke between them.

"Well, I wouldn't have to be brash if you would stop bothering my employees and dear friends." After a few silent moments, both of them started to laugh, causing Nanao to raise an eyebrow.

"Is something funny, Sir?"

Jushiro turned to look at her, attempting to stop his chuckles. "_Jushiro_, Nanao, I'm not your commander and no, there's really nothing too funny." Seeing her unamused expression, he explained.

"You see, this is Shunsui Kyouraku," He halfway bowed from his seat in recognition. "and he happens to be a very close friend of mine. He also is the owner of Kyouraku Breweries."

She gaped a little at this. _This_ was the man that owned the large sake manufacturing that almost dominated the country? Somehow she thought it unbelievable. She quickly restrained her rampant expressions and adjusted her glasses.

"Well, then it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Kyouraku."

He waved his hand. "Shunsui, if you please. Mr. makes me feel old, and the pleasure is all mine." He inclined his head to her, then looked at Ukitake. "Juu, if it's not too much trouble, I do believe that I'm parched."

With a small shake of his head, Jushiro disappeared for a moment and set a drink in front of him. Sake. Listening to their brief talk, she learned that sake was the only alcoholic drink that he drank. Well, there were people in the world like Rangiku after all.

She got back to washing a few mugs that she had ignored when the dancing began. She finished putting them away when Jushiro walked up to her.

"Whatever he wants is on his tab for tonight, just don't let him go overboard. That one can drink like Rangiku." She smirked a little at the thought. "He's harmless, but if you find that he's bothering you too much, just throw something at him. He should get the idea."

"W-what?" He surely couldn't mean what he said, could he?

He chuckled at her priceless expression. "Seriously. He won't be offended. There are a few things I need to take care of, so I'll see you tomorrow." Then, he disappeared into the back room after a quick goodbye.

Nanao had served a few more people before she found herself wandering back to the strange dressed man. Everything was peaceful for the moment. She had only served him a few drinks. Suddenly, a beaming strawberry-blonde presence made herself known at the bar, sitting down to the side of Shunsui.

"Rangiku."

"Hey, Nanao!"

Shunsui looked over to the new addition to the scene and smiled at her, earning a smile in response.

"Well it seems that Jushiro has gotten some very lovely additions to the place since I've been gone. Why you two gorgeous ladies must be on the mind of everyone here." Rangiku laughed a little bit as Nanao set a drink in front of her.

"She could probably drink you under the table in less than an hour."

The speaker stepped up to the bar in between the two, revealing the shorter white haired man. He looked only slightly annoyed. Nanao mused that might be because the performance went over so well.

"Nanao." He nodded at her, and she responded.

"Hello, Toshiro."

Shunsui took one puzzled look at the young man, taking in his features, especially his height. "Yare, aren't you a little young to be at the bar?"

If looks could kill, Shunsui would've been reduced to a useless pink clump. Toshiro's icy glare sent chills down the older man's spine.

"Aren't you a little old to be hitting on young women out of your league?"

Oh, so the kid had his wits about him, did he? Good. Shunsui respected that.

"Touché. Sit down, have a drink."

He smirked. "I'm afraid I'll have to pass. It's been a long evening. Ladies, sir, goodnight."

The rest mimicked the phrase. Nanao noticed that Rangiku's gaze followed him until he disappeared from sight out the door. Looking down the bar, she checked to make sure it wasn't too busy. Then she called to Nemu.

"Hey, Nemu. I'm going to take a fifteen. Can you watch my end?"

The unusually quiet woman nodded and smiled, leaving Nanao to break in the staff room. Rangiku excused herself to follow her.

--KG--

Nanao was nearing the end of her shift as two a.m. drifted closer. During that time, she had conversed with the famous Brewer quite a bit, usually trying to negate all his flirtatious comments.

There was one time that she actually had to follow Jushiro's advice. He wouldn't stop with his -what she thought of it as- mockery, so she had to use the last resort. She did the only thing she could think of to get him to stop. Looking around, she saw the only thing she could use.

She threw the ice at him.

The surprised look on his face was very funny, she thought, and for a moment she thought that he was going to get angry. That thought disappeared though, when he started to laugh, commenting that she was very lively indeed. Things had gone smoother after that. One of the reasons may have been that she discreetly switched ends with Nemu though.

For some reason, this made her think back to her conversation with Rangiku on her break. The slightly older woman had proceeded to tell her that it would be in her best interest to flirt back with the haori-wearing man. Nanao had laughed at the idea, but Rangiku was very persistent. She said that she thought his attentions were adorable, and that they would look good together, judging from the way she had been watching them converse.

Nanao was a little shocked that Rangiku had paid that much attention, and in a last minute defense for herself, she had countered the same philosophy with her and Toshiro. Unfortunately for Nanao, Rangiku was able to hide her affection particularly well. She simply replied with a giggle that it wasn't about her and that Nanao should start worrying about herself. Soon after that, she left, saying she had something to do early the next morning. Right. Oh well. She tried. She would just have to ignore it for now.

There was one more event that dwelled on her mind too. A group of five at seated themselves at her end, and none of them showed the slightest hints of respect. When she served them, one of them, presumably the leader of their so-called group, replied with a daring comment.

"I'd take a phone number with that, Sweetie."

It made her angry, but she refrained from expressing it. She hoped that her short, cold answers would give them the necessary hints to tell them that she wasn't the slightest bit interested. Much to her dismay, they continued to tease for another hour. She didn't like it, but she was tough, so she could handle it. She already knew that men were stupid, at least to her, and she didn't need to provoke them any more than they already were. Eventually they left her alone, and she was grateful.

Sighing deeply now that she was finally done for the night, she gathered up her things and said goodbye to Nemu . As she headed towards the door, she spotted their door watch, Kenpachi Zaraki.

Towering above most people, he could seem very malicious. This was a good deterrent for people who would think to cause trouble for them. Overall he had a rough looking image, but the scar down his left eye and the patch on his right helped. The rumor was that he used to be part of one of the string of gangs that frequented the back alleys of Karakura. He had been somewhat famous on the streets, so when the guard position had opened up, Jushiro was rumored to have gone and sought him out himself.

She offered him a smile as she passed, and he nodded his head in turn.

"Hey, be careful out there tonight, Nanao." His gruff voice made her turn back to look at him. "Some crazies out there."

She nodded. "Thank you. I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Goodnight, Kenpachi."

She could believe it. Sometimes, Karakura was like Mardi Gras back in the states. She had never been to one, but she heard that things got pretty wild sometimes. As a rule, people were generally wild here all the time, they just kept it behind doors. She wasn't worried though. She always traveled at night. Straightening her clothes, she headed off towards her home, towards the center of town.

Back in the bar, that same group of ruffians laughed. The straw-clad man narrowed his eyes as they got up to leave, the only indication that he acknowledged their existence. Downing his last drink, he moved quietly out into the night.

-End of Part Two


	3. What Was Wanted

A/N: Yeah so...I'm really sorry I didn't update when I said I was going to! I've never gone more than two days ever! Seriously, if it happens again (and I'm going to try desperately not to) don't hesitate to cast me off the ship for the fishes. I'm sorry...yet again. Ugh, it irks me.

Anyway, don't forget about my poll! I was mowing the lawn and had an epiphany, so I now have ideas for a side story.

Good, not good? Let me know. -KG

* * *

Part Three: What Was Wanted

The streets were mostly silent as Nanao walked down the pathway towards her home. The mid-June temperature was pleasant at this time of day. It had been substantially hot earlier when she went into work, and she was glad that it finally cooled off a little bit. She could hear the slight echo of her shoes on the pavement as she went, sounding off a comfortable rhythm into the air.

An amused laughter rang out, followed by a few others, breaking the serenity she was previously feeling.

She stopped slowly, hoping to show that she wasn't afraid or startled, and turned around. Her heart jumped a bit at the sight before her. Standing nonchalantly on the path behind her was the same leader of that group in the club. Two of his other lackeys stood slightly behind him. All three of them were grinning.

Hearing a noise behind her, she looked over her shoulder without turning around. Oh. There were the two missing group members. They were standing a short ways behind her, grinning like the first three. It was now that Nanao realized she had blindly walked into a wide alley. Well, that wasn't very smart. It wasn't like she expected to be followed, but this was just bad practice for city dwellers.

She stood her ground as the one in front stepped a little closer. He had dirty dishwater blonde hair, and she could identify the heavy smell of alcohol on all of them. She didn't like the looks of this, and she was thinking deeply on was she could get out of it. The man coughed, and she snapped back to attention as he began to speak.

"Well, Sweetie, ya didn't treat me an' the boys very well back at the bar, an' then ya went and disappeared on us. Not very nice at all, right guys?"

He was answered with a few chuckles. She stayed silent. This wasn't looking good. Sure, she thought earlier that today was going to be different, but her kind of different didn't involve so many dark places and strange faces.

"We think that it'd be nice o' ya to return the favor to us. Roy? Ya like to do the honors?"

At this, the one apparently called 'Roy' moved. It was one of the ones behind her, so she was forced to turn around as he approached. He was a slightly larger man, and Nanao briefly wondered if she'd be able to take him down. This had just gotten worse than she originally thought. This was definitely not how she wanted to spend the rest of the night. She tried not to panic, knowing that if she did, she would make more mistakes.

He got closer, and she stood her ground. Briefly remembering something she was told once, she watched as he gave her a cheeky grin and lunged a bit towards her in an attempt to grab her. She sidestepped quickly, shoving her palm upward into the guy's nose. He bent over holding his nose, and she saw the red fluid coming out between his fingers. She silently congratulated herself on doing something well.

By this time, the man that had stood next to Roy was moving towards her. Nanao made ready to do similar damage to him, but found that she was pulled to an abrupt stop. Looking back, she saw that the blonde had grabbed her wrist to hold her still. She closed her eyes as his other hand started moving towards her.

Then, all the movement stopped.

"Excuse me, but I do believe that's no way to treat a lady."

Nanao opened her eyes at the sound of the familiar voice, not really believing it. The blonde looked just as surprised as she did when he found that Shunsui was holding _his_ arm back. He looked back further and let go of Nanao when he saw what happened behind him. She looked and saw the two that were behind him on the ground, one holding his head and one holding their stomach.

"As you can see, you won't be receiving any help. Now, I would rather appreciate it if you left this young lady alone. Got it?"

He looked to the other guys with him on the opposite side of Nanao and gave them some sort of signal after nodding frantically towards his captor. The one that hadn't been touched helped the bleeding one disappear down the alley, and the other two got off the ground and ran away with the leader. He was lucky he didn't get hit. It was only because he had stopped, thinking his boss could handle it.

Her eyes were still wide when the five had vanished, leaving just the two of them in the dark pathway. She looked over at her supposed hero, a million questions running through her mind. She was faintly aware of telling herself that it wasn't good to go into a daze under these conditions, but she did so anyway. Who exactly was this guy? And why did he follow her? Did he know they would cause trouble? But why would he want to help? She didn't understand it.

"Yare, Nanao-chan, you seem to be taking this quite well."

She looked up at him to find that he had a smile, though an uneasy one, on his face. She gave him a skeptical look, and he must have caught on to it, because he hastily explained himself.

"Well you see, Nanao-chan, I saw those ruffians giving you a hard time back at Juu's place. I got a little worried after they followed you out, so I decided to make sure they weren't going to get themselves into trouble." He rubbed the back of his head uncomfortably. "I'm glad I did."

She stared at him for a moment longer before softening her glare. He seemed to be alright from what she saw now and earlier, and if Jushiro trusted him, then he probably wasn't someone to be worried about. She was slightly annoyed that he still used that ridiculous nickname, but she supposed she should be grateful enough. There was a slight chance that she could've dealt with the rest of them on her own, but she was still glad for the help. Remembering her manners, she thanked him.

She bowed slightly. "Thank you very much, Sir. Your help is very appreciated. If there's anything I can do to repay-"

"Nonsense, Nanao-chan. I was more than happy to lend my aid. And I told you before, it's Shunsui, ne?"

She nodded her head and made to say goodnight, but she was halted.

"Go for a drink with me, Nanao-chan?" It was probably not a very good idea, he mused, but there had to be some way to lighten the mood a little more.

"I'm hardly the kind of person who goes drinking at this late hour."

"Well, I wasn't suggesting sake."

She gave a puzzled look before he enlightened her.

"Coffee, Nanao-chan."

There were many more thoughts going through her head at the moment, but the one that stood out the most was why she was all of a sudden agreeing to go out for coffee at three in the morning. No matter the reason, she found herself going anyway.

--KG--

_"You know, Nanao, that Shunsui is pretty cute, don't you think?"_

_The said person almost choked on the water she was drinking and stood up quickly. "R-rangiku!"_

_Rangiku just laughed at her. "What? I know you think so too. It's obvious from the way you talk to him."_

_"And just what are you implying?"_

_"You two would look good together, that's all."_

_She would dismiss the comment for now, partially because Rangiku could not be told otherwise and partly because she wondered what it would be like to start dating again. Lord knows it had been a while, but someone from a bar was probably not the best possible option, even if he was extremely attractive._

Ten minutes later, Nanao found herself into a small but popular coffee shop. It surprised her how many other people were in here at this time of day, but it wasn't like she could say much either. Even if it was late, their waiter was pleasant and polite enough. Shunsui coaxed a name out of him, also asking why he worked so late. He got a name, Hanataro Yamada, but all he got for the reason was a bunch of stumbled sentences. Feeling a bit sorry for him, Nanao pleasantly ordered so he would be free of Shunsui's questioning. Sometimes one could be too friendly.

After a few uncomfortable minutes, he finally asked her to tell him about herself. She didn't really know why she was going to comply, but she did. Along the way, she thought that someone who saved her couldn't be that bad, right?

In turn, he told her a little about him. She figured out that she hadn't seen him around at The Thirteenth Step before because he had been away on business for the last few months. That made sense, because it was unlikely that friends as close as him and Jushiro (at least that's what she assumed from their attitudes) would stay away from each other for very long spans of time.

She also learned some of his personality traits, and the ones that most stood out to her happened to be drinking, skirt chasing, and napping. Apparently he never joked around with any of the three, and she was glad that he could at least be serious about something (although the flirting and ridiculous nickname got a little old).

He asked how she came to working at the club, and she told him the small story of her schooling and how she couldn't go back and finish right now. He seemed very interested that she went to school for Finance. She paid little mind to it, and revealed that she had worked a little under one of her successful upperclassmen, Lisa Yadomaru.

He started to laugh at this, and when she asked why, she found that he had also worked with Lisa. He notably referred to her as a dragon-lady, and commented Nanao on being pretty good if she was able to study under her, even more so if she could stand her attitude. Apparently, the only thing Shunsui was able to do with Lisa was make her angry, resulting in a swipe now and then. That's where Jushiro had gotten the idea.

Nanao being puzzled at this, he explained how he and Jushiro had studied business under Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryusai, a well-known business tycoon. At one point Lisa had been there too, but found that big business was not her thing, leaving only the two understudies. They had progressed at a wonderful rate and looked promising. After finishing their studies, they each went into business on their separate ways. Jushiro chose entertainment, and Shunsui followed his one true passion (besides chasing women), sake. Now, they were just riding out the plan until something else came up.

"So, Nanao-chan, how did you end up working with Jushiro?" She stayed silent for a moment, wondering if she really should share the other part of her story. After a minute, she decided to do it, if only because he had already shared so much with her.

"Well, Rangiku hooked me up with the job after I...got fired from my last one." She looked down a bit as she said it, not liking how (in her mind) it made her seem irresponsible.

"And why would anyone fire someone as lovely as you, my dear Nanao-chan? That's ridiculous. Even if I've only just met you, I could tell how hard and efficient you work just by your performance tonight."

She smiled a little at the compliment, but it turned into more of a sad one as she dwelled on the last club. "Apparently they didn't seem to think so."

He made motions for her to continue, so she did. "There's a fairly new place across town from The Thirteenth Step. They just opened a few months ago. It's a little Spanish club called Hueco Mundo."

"Ahh, yes. I recall Jushiro mentioning something about that. Who owns that these days?"

"It's a partnership split three ways now. Sosuke Aizen, Kaname Tousen, and Gin Ichimaru all share ownership equally."

He looked thoughtful for a moment before he spoke up. "That's right. That Gin character was mentioned yesterday. Rangiku was telling me about him. Doesn't sound like too nice of a fellow to me. "

She nodded her head in agreement, and then they both went quiet. She was glad that he didn't question her further on why she was fired. She had a feeling that maybe he already knew, but she decided not to worry much about it. He _had_ been talking to Rangiku a lot before she left, so who knew what sort of information she spilled while drinking with him. She had another feeling that Rangiku did it for something she was plotting against her, but it wasn't like she could stop it even if she knew about it.

"Nanao-chan?"

She looked up. "Yes?"

"What do you want in life?"

It was a simple and honest enough question, but Nanao found she had to think really hard to come up with an answer for it. She thought that she probably thought for about five minutes before she was able to answer him. She gave a small smile, as if all her problems in life all of a sudden had answers.

"A constant. Something, anything really. Things have always been upturned and uprooted all my life. For once, I'd just like something to be normal and expected, someone even."

She was a bit surprised at herself with that last part, dipping into the big pool in life that was known as love. Anything constant was really what she was aiming for, but a constant relationship wouldn't be so bad either.

A constant was something she always wanted, but never seemed to get.

"Hmm, I suppose that applies to love as well then?"

"I suppose it does."

He held a woeful glance for a minute before replying. "There really isn't anything very constant in the game of love."

She was unbelieving for a moment. For someone who had been so keen on the importance of love, he seemed to be not taking it as seriously as she once thought he did.

"It shouldn't be thought of as a game! It's serious!"

He paused a bit more before Nanao noticed that distant look in his eye, possibly bringing him back to a distant memory. "It never starts out that way, but in the end you tell yourself that in a last attempt to keep yourself sane."

His reply made her silent for a moment. This reasoning, she realized, came from someone who knew true heartbreak. The thought of it saddened her for some reason. She didn't like seeing that emotion on this man. Somehow it wasn't very fitting of him.

"Anyway, tell me, dear Nanao-chan, about this wonderful love life you desire!"

He grabbed up her left hand in both of his while he said it. And just like that the dreary mood was gone. She thought that he must have a lot of practice for this if he was about to bounce from solemn to flirting in mere seconds. She once again had to incorporate Jushiro's advice into her actions.

She hit him with her spoon.

Earning a goofy smile, he let go and they finished the evening (or rather early morning) with no more depressing conversation topics. Afterward, she allowed him to walk her to her street. She wasn't going to let him know where she lived exactly (although he could probably see it from where she left him), but he insisted he accompany her so she wasn't ambushed again. She supposed she could give him that. She left him with a goodnight, him kissing her hand much to her protest, and well wishes. When she crawled into her bed around four thirty and laid awake for a few minutes, she thought to herself that today wasn't such a bad day at all.

No, not bad at all.

-End of Part Three

* * *

A/N: It's a bit boring, I know, or at least it was in my mind. Then again, maybe it's just because I'm so disheartened that I failed to update...I don't know. At any rate, as an afterthought, I noticed a few things.

The thug scene was sparked from one of the scenes in the Eighth Division ending in the anime. I find it kind of funny that my lead thug didn't have a name, but one of my lackeys did XD. They were also going to be certain people at first, but I decided that they weren't important enough for me to think on it, because I would have to look up certain people when I don't know that much about them. Anyway, I think it turned out okay. Tell me what you think. -KG


	4. Surprises

A/N: A little short, I know, but I wanted to get something out there. I went too long again without updating X.X It's a bit uneventful too, but it fills in a little bit. It's basically a set up for my next chapter, which could possibly be my last? Maybe, mabye not. This is the reason it was supposed to just be a long one-shot. There really isn't much plot stuff. Oh well, fluff is good too. Good, not good? Let me know. -KG

* * *

Part Four: Surprises

Nanao showed up at The Thirteenth Step around four thirty the next day, slightly earlier than yesterday. She had nothing better to do at the moment, so she figured she might as well keep herself busy with work. As she passed Kenpachi on the way in, she noticed that everyone was crowded around the bar, at least, almost everyone she knew. It was a slower night because there was no show, so there weren't that many people present. It was still odd though, for people like Rangiku and Isane to be here on their day off. Surely they had already finished practice.

When she walked in, everyone stopped and looked at her. Some broke out into giggles, and she raised her eyebrow in suspicion. What was so funny? Nearing closer, she found even Jushiro present. He had a knowing smile on his face, one that made her even more suspicious. What on earth?

Upon closer inspection, she found them crowded around a something, although from this angle she couldn't tell what it was. She could feel the waves of excitement rolling off the lot of them. It was like they knew something she didn't, and in this instance, that was entirely true.

She decided to play along with their little game and took her time reaching the bar. She walked past into the staff room, and waited a few moments before appearing on the inside of the bar, where Jushiro and Nemu were currently standing. Even Nemu had a pleased look on her face! What was going on?

She ignored it for a moment longer and turned around to look at herself in the mirror. Smoothing back her hair, she turned to face them and put an indifferent expression on her face, hands going to rest on her hips.

"Alright, what's going on?"

At her words, Jushiro stepped to the side, revealing a large bouquet. Nanao's eyes went wide, and somewhere in her mind she thought that she probably looked stupid while gaping, but currently she didn't care. Still trying to get her thoughts in order, she pointed to herself in question, asking what she wasn't able to in words. A lot of people nodded enthusiastically, and she stepped towards them, to get a better view.

Sure enough, her name was written in a somewhat messy fashion on a card in the middle of the petals. She took in the sight of them before opening the card, the reds, yellows, and oranges of the bird of paradise flowers pleasing her eyes. They were beautiful to say the least. The single light blue petals reminded her of the sky, making it seem like anything could be obtained if you worked hard enough for it.

She turned her attention to the card now, wondering who would've sent her such a thing. In a twisted thought in the back of her mind, she speculated that maybe it was somewhere she had applied before, and now they were sending her an apology and telling her they made a grave mistake by not hiring her before. If she was alone, she would've laughed dryly.

Looking inside, she found the same slightly messy handwriting in the form of a small message.

_Nanao-chan,  
__I had a wonderful time last night.  
__Hope to see you soon.  
__Your ever loving,  
__Shunsui_

She looked blankly at the note for a minute, trying to decide how she should react to it. The note implied something had happened between them (less innocent than what actually transpired), and she knew that people like Rangiku were probably going to take it the wrong way. On another note, she felt a little flattered that he thought enough of their little encounter to do something that was considered sweet. She decided that it _was_ a sweet gesture, even if he wouldn't stop using that nickname of hers.

"So? What did it say?"

Rangiku's voice broke the still air that had engulfed everyone while she read the note. Nanao sighed, knowing that she would get it from her one way or the other, and passed the note to her while she went back to admiring her gift. She faintly heard Rangiku reading it out loud, but she was too preoccupied looking at the vibrant colors to really care too much.

Nanao was aware that she was probably blushing. She was also partly aware of the slight daze she was in. She spoke up, still in a bit of awe from receiving such an unexpected gift.

"I've never received flowers before."

Jushiro grinned. "Don't tell that to him. You'll end up being engulfed in flowers everyday for the next year. I'm a bit surprised that he behaved so well."

Nanao nodded in understanding, but she secretly wondered how wonderful it would be to get flowers from someone everyday.

--KG--

Life continued after that. Over the course of the rest of the month, Nanao had seen Shunsui quite a lot. He was oftentimes at the club on every night she worked. He would usually stay until her shift was over, insisting that he should see her home. She let him sometimes, realizing that it wouldn't be nice to shun his attempts at being helpful. Sometimes they stopped at that same café to sit and chat, and Nanao found that underneath that flirtatious attitude and apparently lax manner to all things work-related, there were actually some redeeming qualities about him. She trusted in those. Besides, if Jushiro and he were close friends, he couldn't be that bad.

It was one of those real slow days at the club. Nanao had taken over the later half of someone's afternoon shift, so she was here much earlier than normal. There was hardly anyone here because dancing didn't usually start up until six or seven, and the show wasn't until nine. Her and Nemu were working the bar this afternoon.

Nemu had traded shifts with Rukia because apparently her father needed her really early the next morning. Sometimes everyone worried for her, but whenever anyone brought it up, she always dismissed it with a smile, telling them not to worry. Nanao had wondered how many of these smiles were fake, but she didn't know the girl well enough to make any speculations.

Nanao had wiped down the counters and washed all the spare glasses, but she still couldn't find anything to keep her occupied for more than five minutes. Then, salvation came in the form of one smiling, strawberry blonde.

"Hey, Nanao!"

"Hello, Rangiku." Nanao made the motions to get her a drink, like she did all other times. She was halted by Rangiku's next words however.

"Hold the sake, Nanao. We have practicing to do."

She blinked a few times before she noticed that she had absolutely no idea what her friend was talking about.

"What are you talking about? Practicing for what?"

"You, me, and the dance floor, of course!"

Nanao tensed a bit. She couldn't be serious could she? At any rate, the answer was still the same.

"No."

Rangiku gave a pout. "What do you mean, 'no'? It's been far too long since you've danced with me."

"Not long enough." Her reply was cold and bitter, reflecting off her previous experience with it.

"That was a long time ago, Nanao. I thought that it didn't bother you anymore? Aizen was being an idiot. Besides, here is a much better place than there, isn't it?"

She looked hopeful, and Nanao felt a little bit of guilt for making her feel that way. Sure, she liked it better here by a landslide, but Hueco Mundo still left a sore spot on her. It made a dent in her self-esteem if anything else. She had tried her best to perform as well as she was able, but it just wasn't good enough apparently. It's hard to accept a comment when they basically tell you that you're too plain for their liking.

She supposed she could've fought against some of the smaller things, the ones that they said qualified her for being fired, but in the end she decided that it just wasn't worth it. She hadn't danced since then, preferring to stick to what she did best. Now she was faced with an inner demon, and as much as she hated letting past things bother her, this one definitely walked that thin line.

"Come on, there's hardly anyone here. Nemu won't mind watching the bar. Jushiro already said it was okay. He said it might be good for you, kind of like a straw hat-wearing patron I know." She gave a cheeky grin, and shoved her arm a bit. Nanao was still unsure.

--KG--

Ten minutes later, Nanao found herself in the back practice room with Rangiku. It was just the two of them in the empty room. They made their way over to Rangiku's locker, and she pulled out a spare set of clothes and handed them to Nanao. This caused the bespectacled woman to raise an eyebrow. She speculated that Rangiku may have sneakily planned this whole thing out after all.

She changed into the more comfortable clothes and began to stretch out her arms and legs, knowing that it was always good to start with a stretch. She didn't want to hurt herself after all. She could tell she hadn't done this in a while. She wasn't nearly as flexible as she used to be. Her muscles pulled uncomfortable as she tried to warm them up. Why was she doing this again? Oh right. A scheme of Rangiku's.

When she was done, Rangiku started messing with the sound system in the room, compliments of Renji. Picking a song, she took up a position next to Nanao as "Move Your Body" started to play.

Nanao recognized the tune almost immediately. This was one of the routines that they used to practice before she went out for the entertainer part at Hueco Mundo.

She knowingly fell into the steps she knew so well and moved like she only did it yesterday. Sometimes it was just like riding a bike, you could never forget. A spin here and some fancy footwork there, and Nanao thought she saw a smirk appear on Rangiku's face out of the corner of her eye. Okay, so maybe she was enjoying it. The familiar movements felt wonderful to enact again.

Before she knew it, she was lost within her own memory and enjoying every second of it. If only this path would've worked out for her. Oh well. For now she would take what she could get.

A voice soon ripped her out of her fantasy, and she halted all motions.

"Well, it seems to me that Sosuke didn't know talent when it saw it."

It was hard to not recognize his laid back voice upon hearing it. Turning around, she saw none other than Shunsui. This wasn't what surprised her though. The fact that he seemed to know more about the Hueco Mundo incident than she told him did. Then again, he had been talking to Rangiku almost as much as herself, so maybe she really shouldn't be surprised.

Speaking of that woman, where did she go? Nanao looked around, not finding a trace of her.

"Apparently he thought he knew so. What are you doing here? This room is for staff only."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, so cruel, Nanao-chan. I merely came to give you this."

At this point, he handed her a fancy envelope with her name on it. He stood there as she opened it, revealing an equally fancy invitation. Looking inside, she found it invited her to a dinner at a more elegant restaurant she'd heard about uptown. She raised her eyebrow and looked at him.

"What's the occasion?"

He made dramatic motions as he spoke. "Why, it's my lovely Nanao-chan's birthday , of course! You didn't think I'd forget, did you?"

That's right. It was now July, a day before her birthday, also known as the 6th. Why hadn't that crossed her mind before? "I don't recall mentioning that."

He grinned at her. "Well, technically you didn't, but Jushiro was nice enough to share that bit of wonderful information. What kind of Beau would I be if I didn't know when it was?"

Beau? Did that mean they were dating? It didn't seem that way to her. Maybe they were only kind of dating. How you kind of dated, she didn't really know, but that seemed to fit better. True, they did spend a lot of time in each other's presence, but it was mainly at the club. In her mind, that didn't exactly count, but the way he made it sound…

"But-"

"No, buts, Nanao-chan. Juu already said you could have the day off. I'm taking you out whether you like it or not. During previous years, according to a reliable source, you've done nothing to celebrate. We're going to change that. Starting tomorrow."

"I don't have the option of saying no, do I?"

He smiled again. "Not a chance. Just meet me there. 6 o'clock." Then, he took up her hand and planted a kiss on it. "For now I have a meeting I must attend to. I'll see you tomorrow."

With a tip of his hat he departed, leaving a puzzled Nanao behind.

-End of Part Four

* * *

A/N: I don't own this song either, but it is pretty sweet. It's by Eiffel 65. The flower thing was sparked from a day I had at work. Someone got flowers from a person they hung out with for a few hours. They were pretty. I was wanting some. End of story XD. This was the part that I wanted out on the 7th, but we all saw how that went. I should've started this like two weeks ago when I first had the idea. Oh well. Tell me what you think. -KG


	5. In Pursuit Of What Is Desired

A/N: Hmm, I actually updated on time this time. Good. Hopefully I'll continue that trend. Not much happens again, but I just produced a mass amount of talking, so I'm pretty much spent on my mindpower right now. This is what you get this time. I rather liked it, but your opinions may vary. Good, not good? Let me know. -KG

* * *

Part Five: In Pursuit Of What Is Desired

"So, you told him then." It was a statement, not a question. Nanao was washing glasses once again, the night having progressed by a few hours, and the show being past.

"Oh, don't me mad, Nanao. We all know he's harmless."

Jushiro was helping out at the club for a bit. He usually handled other matters, but tonight he chose to work the bar with Nanao and Rukia. It was a little busier than usual, even if the show was already finished, but a large turn out was never a bad thing. Nanao eyed the carefree dancers out on the floor, thinking back to the events that had happened previously that afternoon.

"I'm not mad."

She refused to turn around, instead occupying herself with rearranging the clean glasses in different patters. Okay so she wasn't mad, but she didn't really like celebrating her birthday for some reason. It just never occurred to her that she should take the time to do so. It puzzled her why he wanted to celebrate it so much too.

"Anyway, what kind of date would he be if he didn't know your birthday?" Rangiku had also joined them after some time. She was done performing, but she still liked to hang out at the club when she wasn't tired. This was true even on her off days. She claimed that all her friends were here.

She spun around and gave a huff, putting her hands on her hips. "We are _not_ dating!"

She smirked. "Well, that's what everyone thought you two were doing. I mean come on, we're friends and _we _don't spent _that_ much time together."

Nanao had to admit that she kind of had a point. They did spent a good chunk of their time in each other's company, but that didn't really mean anything, did it? She rolled her eyes and turned around, setting up two rows of clean shot glasses that were ready for use. If this kept up, she may need one or two for herself.

"At any rate, it's really sweet. You almost never go out on your birthday or allow yourself to have even the remotest bit of fun. You should go."

"I never said I wasn't going."

She was answered by another smirk as she grabbed a can of squirt from the cooler, pouring both that and McMaster's into a tall glass for a gentleman with silvery hair. He paid for his drink, and she smiled and thanked him, turning back to Rangiku.

"Even _I _know when to not look a gift horse in the mouth."

"Good!" Jushiro jumped into the conversation again, having found the discussion between the two amusing. "I'm sure Shunsui will be pleased to hear it."

She straightened her glasses and pushed them up the bridge of her nose. "I'm sure." Then, she moved down the bar a bit, over to someone motioning for her.

--KG--

The next day found six o'clock rolling around very soon for one birthday girl. She had been anticipating this event all day. Jushiro had indeed gave her the day off and had banned her from within a few blocks of the club just to be sure. He had stressed that she should take this day and relax. Having nothing else to do, she did just that. She slept in later than she usually did, and for the rest of the day she lounged about her home while reading a book and drinking tea. There really couldn't be a better way to spend the day. On the other hand though, this was how she spent all of her birthdays these days. Now that she thought about it, she was excited to see what changes tonight might bring.

Shunsui had apologized for not coming to get her himself. Apparently, he had some things to take care of until right before six. Nanao herself hadn't spoken to him since yesterday when he saw her dancing. She woke up this morning to a deliveryman knocking on her front door. When she opened it, he offered her a lovely lavender orchid and departed after she saw who it was from.

Attached to the orchid was a note, displaying his message and directions in case she didn't know how to get there.

Although she deemed it important that someone should pick up someone they plan on taking out, she silently forgave him for having other things to get done. She knew that with his brewery company he was increasingly busy at this time of year. She didn't know how he managed to get everything done. She had asked Jushiro about it once, and he explained to her how popular his sake was. It was also the same type that The Thirteenth Step sold. She had never noticed until he pointed it out.

She was still thinking of this and other things that Rangiku or Jushiro had said as she locked and shut her front door. Walking down the steps, she headed off in the direction of the restaurant. It was a warm night and she was thankful because she didn't bring a coat with her. It usually stayed a decent temperature throughout the evening. She hoped that tonight would be the same.

When she arrived at the designated place, a waiter brought her over to Shunsui right away upon noticing her, no questions asked. As she approached, Shunsui stood up and pulled her chair out for her, like a gentleman would. Before she sat down, he offered her a flower, another orchid, from the looks of it.

"So, I see you received my message." She nodded her head and accepted the blossom.

"Of course."

Even if she wasn't that used to it and they technically weren't dating, she still secretly liked all of this special attention he seemed to be giving her. She smiled a little, which he returned gladly. As she sat down, he pushed her chair in for her. Then, they continued to enjoy the dinner.

It was later now, about nine, when they decided to depart from the restaurant. They were walking down the peaceful streets, the buzz of party life just barely hearable in the distance. He had offered her his arm, and much to even her own surprise, she took it. For once, she thought to herself, maybe she would let him walk to her door with her. Today was turning out to be such a fine evening after all. After a short distance, he spoke up.

"Did you enjoy yourself, Nanao-chan?"

She smiled a little. "Yes, I did. Thank you very much. It's been a long time since I've gone out on my birthday."

He returned the smile. "I thought as much after gathering information. Although I can't see why. There must always be people asking you to go out. How can there not? No one compares to my Nanao-chan's beauty after all."

She stayed quiet for a minute after he spoke, knowing that indeed there wasn't many people wanting to go out. At least, not in the way he was referring to. How he managed to sneak a compliment in there as well baffled her mind. Oh well. Must be the consequence of many practices.

He didn't say anything for a moment either, determining how he should word the next thing he wanted to speak about. Deciding to just make it up as he went, he started.

"Nanao-chan, there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about."

"Oh?" She looked up at him in question.

"You see, I've come up with a bit of a problem. Yare, a big problem now that I think about it." They were still walking as he was explaining himself, but they had slowed down a bit, getting closer to her home. "I happen to enjoy the finer, more important things in life, Nanao-chan, and record keeping doesn't happen to be one of them. Unfortunately, others seem to think it should."

"And what does this have to do with me?" The were almost to her door now.

"Quite frankly, I need someone like you. You're perfect."

"What?" She stopped mid-stride, letting go of his arm. She noticed that they were in front of her door now.

"Your story fascinated me when I first heard it. It still does now, to this day. I can't believe that nobody has accepted any of your applications. I know about ten big businesses that would love to have you as a part of their staff."

She made a motion to say something, but he held up his hand.

"Wait a minute, Nanao-chan, let me finish."

He sighed a little before he continued. "I know our relationship is a bit obscure, but however strange it may be, I enjoy it immensely. I would like to remain that way for some time, so I can get to know even more of you than I've found out. I'd like to think we're friends, but someday, I can't help myself from hoping that one day it could be more than just that."

He picked her hand up, looking in her eyes to see if he could find any doubt. Right now, he figured she was probably too stunned to think. Oh boy. This next part would be fun then.

"I've been thinking a lot lately, and I've come to offer you a constant." He paused for a minute, letting the weight of that one word take effect on her. "I was thinking that maybe that's what I want out of life too. Something familiar would be nice, but if I could choose, the only constant that I'm finding myself wanting lately is you. That's why I've decided to offer you the same."

He stilled for a minute, wondering what her reaction would be. "I want to offer you a position on my staff. I want to give you that chance to use what you learned and give you a chance to go back and finish what you haven't been able to. I know I need help, and you seem perfect for the job. It's an added bonus that I like your company."

Her eyes widened, and she knew that he could notice. Is this what she thought it was? Was he really offering her a job? One that she was meant to do? And from the sounds of it, he was also implying other things. Once this thought processed, she found it hard to think anything else.

"You don't have to answer right away. You have all the time in the world. I'll wait as long as you need me to. I'd like to see how this plays out." He waited more. "There may be up days as well as down days, but I'll always be the same. That won't change. Although Juu's club seems very constant for you right now, I want to see you do the best that you're capable of."

He was hoping for the best. "I'm going to be leaving for a conference in the north in a week. If you want it, the Chief Financial Officer, is waiting for you. Happy Birthday, Nanao."

He then pulled her hand up and kissed it, leaving a small box in his wake. Then, he was heading off down the street, a disbelieving Nanao staring off into the distance, eyes still wide.

She couldn't believe what was happening at this moment. She felt a little bad about not saying anything, but she doubted that she would be capable of speech anytime soon. Opening her door slowly, she shut it and leaned against it in mental fatigue. Her heart was still pounding, and she couldn't think straight. She had just gotten the opportunity of a lifetime, plus someone saying they might enjoy her company more than a friend would. Had the world gone insane while she was daydreaming?

She looked down at the box in her hand. She opened it slowly, not knowing if she could take any more surprises. Inside she found a silver chain hooked through one of the most beautiful ornaments she'd ever seen. It seemed like a necklace reserved for a goddess. Eight tiny hearts were joined in a chain, small violet gems sparkling between them. Upon further inspection, she realized that they looked about the same color as her eyes.

She slid down her door, a smile coming to her face.

"Thank you…Shunsui."

-End of Part Five

* * *

A/N: I don't own McMaster's whiskey or Squirt for that matter. It just so happened to be the first drink off the top of my head. Oh, and Orchids are supposed to mean rare and delicate beauty or something like that. So there is a method to the madness. It's just covered up well. Tell me what you think, if you happen to feel like it. -KG


	6. A Constant

A/N: Yes, here it is. The last part. The finale. I'm a little mixed on this chapter. Tell me if I did okay or just sucked it up. It's a bit late, but I was distracted and such. It's here now though. Thanks to everyone who read/reviewed/favorited/alerted as well as those who voted on my poll. That's going to be up for a few more days, so if you haven't already, please vote! Thanks again Good, not good? Let me know. -KG

* * *

Part Six: A Constant

Nanao Ise would call herself something far from coward, but right now she was having a few second thoughts as she stood on the lonely street out in the pouring rain at this hour of the night.

The reason for these thoughts? Why, it was none other than Shunsui Kyouraku of course, the owner of Kyouraku Breweries. His question had thrown her, as well as the other things he had implied with it. In theory, she should've been jumping for joy. What he offered was what she always wanted. He offered her a constant, but more importantly, _he_ offered to be _her_ constant.

_She walked into the Thirteenth Step in a little bit of a rush. It was the day after her birthday and she had the day off, but she needed to speak with Jushiro right away. _

"_Nanao? What are you doing here?" Jushiro stopped what he was doing and looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face. She almost never came in on her days off. _

_She stopped on the other side of the bar, hand reaching up to feel the new ornament that now hung around her neck. "I require some information…"_

That was why she was here now, standing in the rain on the street where Shunsui was staying before he left to the north, on his birthday no less. That was part of the information she learned from Jushiro. Today, the eleventh of July, was Shunsui's birthday. She reached a hand up to touch the necklace on her neck, reminding herself of all the reasons that it was right to be here.

Sure, others may look at this situation and call her foolish, but this was the opportunity of a lifetime. She may never get this chance again. She had one chance to get everything she ever wanted.

She looked out from the roof eave above her and spotted the specific apartment she wanted. According to Jushiro, this was the place. She was faintly wondering why she was out this late in this weather, but then remembered that there wasn't really time to wait around any longer. In three days he would be gone for who knows how long. She had already spent most of this week waiting around. It was long enough.

Since she had the day after her birthday off too, she had not gone into work, save going in to ask Jushiro a few questions. Wednesday and Thursday she had been working, but Shunsui had not come into the club. The thought crossed her mind that he might be avoiding her. She had spent those days wondering what she should do. She had all the necessary information, now she just needed to use it. Nodding her head to herself, she took a step out into the rain, followed by another.

There was always the fear that this would all be for naught. She still couldn't believe what she heard. She was waiting for herself to just wake up, only to be disappointed that it was all a far-off fantasy. Sometimes she had her doubts about Shunsui too. What if, upon spending a larger amount of time with her than he already did, he found that she wasn't what he was looking for? What if he didn't like their new arrangements, and she wasn't good enough? She knew he had gotten around before, or at least she thought she knew. It was hard to believe that a charmer such as he wouldn't have. Then, she would have this nagging voice in the back of her head that told her not to judge a book by its cover and to have more faith in him. She liked to think that she should listen to this voice.

There was a dim light a short ways from his door, and it barely lit up the area. She squinted to read the number next to the door, just to be sure she had the right one. She bravely reached up and knocked, having mixed feelings when she heard a distant 'just a minute' from behind the wall. She didn't know whether to be glad he was actually home or not.

When the door opened, Nanao saw his eyes go wide with surprise before he gave her a large grin. She supposed that she would've acted the same way if he would've randomly came to her home without prior notice.

"Well, Nanao-chan, this is certainly a surprise. Please, come in. You're drenched."

He motioned her inside, and she obliged, glad to be out of the weather. She pulled her coat closer to her, trying to get a little warmth as well as a little reassurance for what she had come here to say.

"Would you like something, Nanao-chan?"

"No, I'm fine. Thank you." She followed him into what seemed like his living room, taking a seat on the couch when he offered. He sat down by her, and she turned a little to look at him better.

"Now, what can I do for you?"

"I came here to ask you a question…concerning the other night."

"Well, ask away, Nanao-chan." He seemed to be in good spirits.

"Did you mean it?" In her mind she sounded like she was pleading. She supposed, in a sense, she was. It felt too good to be true.

"Of course, Nanao-"

"All of it?" She was aware that she was interrupting, but she needed to get this out there. "You say that in the end you tell yourself it's just a game, that you have to tell yourself that's what it is. Is this just a game? Will it turn out that way later?" She stopped for a minute, hoping that he could lock her fears away and strengthen her hopes.

"Of course it's not. If it goes my way at all, it never will be." Just like that the mood had shifted again. She knew that she was partly to blame for that, but her questions needed answers.

"Then why do you have such twisted logic? Who made you think that way? Were there others that tried and failed?" She was still making eye contact as she spoke, trying to read his eyes.

He deeply sighed and looked downward, a painful memory seeming to come to mind. She had leaned in a bit closer without her knowing, trying to get a better listen should he choose to speak.

"There was one." He grew silent for a moment then, and Nanao almost regretted bringing it up. Almost. She had things she didn't like to think about too, but she didn't have the option of running from them when they were brought up.

"I don't really want to talk about it, but lets just say that in the world of money, no matter what you do, you always seem to get used. That's in the business and social sense too."

She let the words sink in, and she realized just how terrible it must have been. If it made him go into a dreary mood when he was usually so laid back, it was definitely bad. Maybe one day she could ask him about it further. For now, she was going to do something that was unlike her normal self.

She stood up, and looked away for a minute. "I would like to accept your offer, but only if you really mean it. If you do, I want to know if you'll give me a chance… give us a chance…" She looked up at him then, and he rose as well.

"I'd be a fool not to."

He opened his arms and she stepped into them, letting him see a smile, which he returned. She liked this side of him much better. It was familiar, and that was one of the things she wanted. He felt warm, and she was also grateful for that. The rain had made her a bit chilled.

The next warmth was better though, as he lifted her chin up and kissed her. Somewhere in her barely sensible trains of thought, it had come to mind that maybe things never worked out for her because she never had said what she wanted exactly. Well, she knew what she wanted now, one Shunsui Kyouraku.

He broke away from her and smiled at her breathless expression, arm that was holding her close relaxing a bit. With a bit of a chuckle he formed a sentence. Well, she thought, at least _he_ could.

"I suppose we'd better tell Juu about this, eh Nanao-chan?"

She smiled again, letting her head rest against his chest. "Won't everyone be surprised." True, they would probably turn a few heads.

"They'll be happy for you. Are you coming with me on Monday?"

"That was the plan." She was going to follow him wherever he went now. It would be interesting to see where this road would take her.

"I don't know how long we'll be gone."

"That's fine. I don't mind. I'm sure Jushiro will understand." And it was, she was sure. It didn't really matter now. She had her constants, and hopefully things would stay that way.

"Yare, I'm sure he will."

--KG--

Saturday was one of Nanao's scheduled work days, but somehow she figured she wouldn't be going today. Oh she was here, and it was only four in the afternoon, but she wasn't here to work. As her and Shunsui walked into the club together, the whole room stopped. At least, that's what it seemed like. All who knew them had stopped anyway, and Nanao could feel their eyes on them. They had reason too, she supposed. They never arrived together, especially not with Shunsui's arm around her waist.

They walked up towards the shocked people at the bar, and Nanao didn't miss the smirk on Jushiro's face, like he was sharing a private joke. Oh well. She didn't really care about that at this point.

"Hmm, I had a feeling you two would be back here." The smile never left his face as he set a jug of sake down on the bar. Shunsui and Nanao both sat, and Jushiro set two cups on the bar.

"Well, Juu, you're looking at the new Chief Financial Officer of Kyouraku Breweries." Nanao didn't miss the sound of pride he had in his voice.

"I daresay that some work might actually get done now, Shunsui. I wish both of you the best of luck." She knew he was implying about their relationship as well, and Nanao couldn't help but feel good that she knew he approved. "I've already got someone covering your shift today, Nanao, and I can find someone for however long you take. That is, of course, if you want to come back here."

She was glad that she had that option. It was nice to know that her friends were going to watch out for her. She supposed that once she did get back, if she was doing well enough for the company, that she might come back here every now and then, just because she could. Even if she was moving on to bigger and better things, she would still miss this place.

She didn't know what exactly was in store for her, but she didn't think it would be so bad. Not if she had her constants.

"Nanao-chan." He grabbed her hand softly.

She looked at him. "Yes?"

"Dance with me."

The music started up, and she smiled, not really seeing anything wrong with it anymore. She slid off the bar stool as he got up, and they moved out towards the already moving mass of bodies.

A bar was the last place she expected to find anything, but for now, she was definitely going with it.

-Fin


End file.
